Cleveland Diocese Issues Sex Abuse Policy

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, February 27, 2003

The Cleveland Roman Catholic Diocese issued a policy Friday to combat child sexual abuse by priests that includes new training requirements and a board of lay people to review allegations.

The policy change requires priests and other staff to be removed from ministry permanently if an act of abuse is confirmed, Bishop Anthony Pilla said.

The changes are based on recommendations from a panel the bishop appointed to determine how the diocese can prevent abuse and help victims of past abuse.

The diocese in 1989 adopted a policy for child abuse allegations and amended it in 1992. The new policy amends the 1992 policy.

Prosecutors in December indicted one priest and six diocese employees on accusations of child sex abuse. Officials said some cases that were investigated did not result in indictments because the statute of limitations had passed.

Former diocese lawyer Santiago Feliciano said the test for the new policy will be whether the diocese follows it.

"There was a policy in place before," he said. "In any policy, the proof is in adhering to it and respecting it."

Feliciano, a diocese parishioner, claims he was forced to leave for private practice because he accused the church of being more concerned about preserving its image than helping victims of abuse by priests.

Under the new policy, Pilla will appoint an 11-member board of mostly lay people to review allegations. The revised policy also requires diocese employees who have regular access to children be trained to detect child abuse and to report it.

Also Friday, a St. Louis priest was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing a young boy. Gary Wolken had pleaded guilty in December to sodomy and child molestation.